Australian Prime Minister Announces Heavy Restrictions on Gambling Ads

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced broad new limits on gambling advertising across TV, radio, digital platforms, and sports venues.

Albanese Reveals the Government’s Crackdown on Gambling Ads

In a speech to the National Press Club on Thursday, Albanese said his government was “striking the right balance” with the package. He added that authorities will target illegal offshore gambling sites and prohibit additional forms of online betting, including Keno and apps and websites designed to mimic poker machines.

The announcement doesn’t come off the blue as Albanese has faced mounting pressure to act on a landmark report led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, delivered to the government in June 2023. The report included 31 recommendations, among them a phased ban on all forms of online gambling advertising. Furthermore, Australian regulatory bodies have in the past implemented various restrictions on gambling and advertisements. For example, just last week, the Australian Communications and Media Authority went after influencers promoting illegal gambling. 

However, the new reforms are much more all-encompassing, scheduled to take effect from January next year. TV ads will be limited to three per hour between 6 am and 8:30 pm, while radio spots will be banned during school drop-off and pick-up times. Online ads will only be shown to logged-in users over 18, who can also opt out. Celebrities and athletes will no longer appear in gambling ads, and ads will be banned from sports venues and players’ and officials’ uniforms.

Critics Are Unhappy With the New Measures

The measures have already drawn criticism from stakeholders in the gambling industry. In a statement, Responsible Wagering Australia, the peak body representing betting agencies, described the new measures as “draconian” and warned that they set a “dangerous precedent.”

Its chief executive, Kai Cantwell, expressed concern that the restrictions could have a domino effect: starting with gambling advertising, then potentially targeting alcohol, sugary drinks, fast food, critical minerals, and other industries in the future. He also accused the government of blindsiding a sector that employs 30,000 people and provides crucial funding to sport, racing, and broadcasting industries.

Meanwhile, Sportsbet, one of Australia’s largest betting agencies, said the “overly blunt” restrictions could lead to “unintended consequences,” such as pushing more Australians toward illegal offshore betting, which is not subject to the same regulations.

Interestingly, even advocates for the banning of gambling ads criticized the new decision. However, their concerns were that the measures were not harsh enough. Reverend Tim Costello of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, a group calling for a full gambling advertising ban on the web and broadcast platforms, said that “children deserve to grow up in a country that puts their wellbeing before corporate profits.”

Another jurisdiction that is cracking down on gambling ads is California, which is taking measures to curb ads targeted at teens.